Book #50: "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros

 

Fourth Wing

Rebecca Yarros

 Released: May 2nd, 2023

My 20th book for 2024 was Rebecca Yarros’ “Fourth Wing”.

Here we go!  My 50th book reviewed!  It's been a pretty good run so far.  To those of you who have been reading and following along, I thank you for your support.  

"Fourth Wing is a nonstop-thrilling adventure fantasy set in the brutal and competitive world of a military college for dragon riders, which includes elements regarding war, battle, hand-to-hand combat, perilous situations, blood, intense violence, brutal injuries, death, poisoning, graphic language, and sexual activities that are shown on the page. Readers who may be sensitive to these elements, please take note, and prepare to enter Basgiath War College..."

- Description from beginning of the Novel

This was my sister Megan Perry’s book of the year for 2023.  While she has not (yet) reviewed this book, she really enjoyed it and encouraged me to check it out.  You can check out her amazing blog and other projects over at MeganHerrWrites. [Blogger's Note: She just got married.]

The book was very good.  I saw a lot of elements that have captured inspiration from other works such as Hunger Games and Divergent.

The story follows Violet Sorrengail as she enters the war college to become a Scribe.  She later is chosen to become a Dragon Rider and all the danger it entails.

She endures trials and tribulations.  Her epic struggles and failures build into a strong story with a budding mythology.

I saw a lot of elements of other modern-day series.  Divergent with the different groups.  Hunger Games with the different rituals and contests that pitted the groups against one another.  There were some explicit sexual scenes featured in the book.  It reminded me of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series.  The way the mythology grew, and established the characters was well written.  

Each chapter begins with a quote from one of the works from the story's lore.  There's an author's note that states the following has been faithfully transcribed from Navarrian into the modern language by Jasinia Neilwart, Curator of the Scribe Quadrant at Basgiath War College.  It wishes the souls commended to the God Malek.

Here is what I learned:

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• The text was transcribed from Navarrian into the modern language.

• Jesinia Neilwart is the Curator of the Scribe Quadrant at Basgiath War College.

• Riders are not out to directly kill one another.  Only if there is a shortage of dragons or a liabilty to their wing.

• Conscription Day is the deadliest.

• Basgiath War College is not known for being kind to anyone

• Mira is the only one who raises her voice to the general.

• Mira Sorrengail is 26 years old.

• Violet Sorrengail is Mira's sister and is 20 years old.

• Violet’s mom was sick while pregnant with her.

• Her father passed away a year ago from a heart attack.

• Violet has a collection of her favorite dark fables.

• The Codex is the rule book for the Riders Quadrant.

• Violet wears a size 7 shoe, but trades for a single size 8 shoe with another girl to hide a knife.

• Blue Dragons descend from the Gormfaileas line.

• The Sparring Ring is where riders are made or broken

• Zihnal is the god of luck.

• Mending pain is second only to the original injury.

• Tradition dictates that once someone dies, all their belongings must be burned.

• Each person has a signet power that manifests in time.

• Feathertails are rarely seen outside the Vail.

• "I will not die today."

• "Coming in last is better than coming in dead."

• It is an offense to the God Malek to steal the belongings of the dead.  They must be placed in a proper temple or burned.

• The loss of a bonded rider is strong enough to cause the untimely death of a dragon.  This is because they are unable to emotionally recover.

• A dragon is able to bond with more than one rider.

• The more powerful the dragon, the more powerful the signet the rider manifests.

• There is nothing more sacred than the archives.  Temples can be rebuilt, but books cannot be rewritten.

• As a response to the Great War, the dragons claimed the western lands, and the gryphons claimed the central ones.

• Accusing a wingleader of wrongdoing is the most dangerous of all accusations.

• There is no stronger bond than that between two mated dragons.  One cannot survive without the other.

• July 1st is the anniversary of the Battle of Aretia.  It is known as Reunification Day.

• The first known gryphon attack occurred in 1 AU (After Unification) at the trading post of Resson.

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Overall, the book was a really good introduction to the series.  I certainly see why it appealed to many different readers.  I'm excited to pick up the next book, and find out the next adventures of this group.

Recommended, especially to fans of the previously mentioned book series, and fantasy readers to any degree.

On to Book #51: "The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales" by Joe Scieszka and Lane Smith.